Business is booming in Russellville, with the city issuing permits for $8.674 million in commercial construction last month.

The figure includes four projects in excess of $1 million, the largest of which is the $3 million construction of a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant at the corner of East Parkway Drive and Weir Road. That store is expected to open in late November or early December.

Improvements are underway at the Valley Park Centre to build a Ross Dress for Less, a project worth $2.15 million. Also underway is construction on a $1.1 million dentist office building on North Elmira Avenue and a $1.2 million expansion of Innovation Industries.

Those four projects alone represent $7.45 million in new commercial construction or renovations for which permits were issued in August.

Three smaller, yet still significant, projects brought in another $1.05 million. Those included a $250,000 building renovation at Precision Surveillance Corp., $400,000 in improvements at Walmart, and another $400,000 for expansion at Stella Jones.

Permits were also issued in August for a handful of smaller commercial projects and signs.

This is a significant increase from August 2012, which saw permits issued for only $528,300 commercial construction projects.

Russellville Community Development Director Brian Holstein said the construction activity in Russellville, both new construction and interior finish-outs, is higher than it has been in years.

“Our economy is picking up unbelievably because of this,” he said.

In addition to these new projects, Holstein mentioned large construction and expansion projects at ConAgra Foods and Millard Henry Clinic that got underway earlier in the year. Construction on a Walmart Neighborhood Market is expected to break ground soon, and the city is reviewing an application for a Japanese steak house.

Residential construction continues to thrive as well, with several new developments under construction, as well as construction in existing developments, Holstein said.